10-12-2012, 12:42 AM
As an addendum to #32117, I probably should have separate zones for the Atlas Highlands and central Hispania, and some way to account for the less densely populated Mediterranean islands.
Beloch estimates that there were about 6,000,0000 people in Syria (55 per km2), 6,000,000 people (44 per km2) in provincial Asia, and 500,000 people (33 per km2) in Cyrenaica. So this low-count estimate would actually fit right in with certain high-count estimates for other areas in the Mediterranean zone. Suppose 4,600,000 people in peninsular Greece (40 per km2 x 115,000 km2) or 6,400,000 people in peninsular Italia excluding Gallia Cisalpina (40 per km2 x 160,000 km2)... [strike]Certainly Beloch's low count for Greece seems way too low relative to the rest of the Mediterranean.[/strike] [Edit: Beloch counted a much larger portion of the Balkans, including most of Thrace, as part of peninsular Greece, so that his estimate was much less dense than his estimates for Asia or Italia.] I hope Hansen's work sorts out better figures for Greece, and maybe his count for Greece can shed light on Asia, Syria, and Italia.
Given how long the Punic Wars lasted, especially the 1st, I expect there would have been similar populations in the core areas on each side. So if 6,400,000 in Italia is about right [probably somewhat lower in the 3rd Century BCE] 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 in Africa makes sense, without needing to figure out the areas and densities for the coast and plains vs. the Atlas Highlands.
Beloch estimates that there were about 6,000,0000 people in Syria (55 per km2), 6,000,000 people (44 per km2) in provincial Asia, and 500,000 people (33 per km2) in Cyrenaica. So this low-count estimate would actually fit right in with certain high-count estimates for other areas in the Mediterranean zone. Suppose 4,600,000 people in peninsular Greece (40 per km2 x 115,000 km2) or 6,400,000 people in peninsular Italia excluding Gallia Cisalpina (40 per km2 x 160,000 km2)... [strike]Certainly Beloch's low count for Greece seems way too low relative to the rest of the Mediterranean.[/strike] [Edit: Beloch counted a much larger portion of the Balkans, including most of Thrace, as part of peninsular Greece, so that his estimate was much less dense than his estimates for Asia or Italia.] I hope Hansen's work sorts out better figures for Greece, and maybe his count for Greece can shed light on Asia, Syria, and Italia.
Given how long the Punic Wars lasted, especially the 1st, I expect there would have been similar populations in the core areas on each side. So if 6,400,000 in Italia is about right [probably somewhat lower in the 3rd Century BCE] 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 in Africa makes sense, without needing to figure out the areas and densities for the coast and plains vs. the Atlas Highlands.
